Sunsail and RYA bring all-female crew to Cowes Week

An all-female crew at Cowes Week, organised in collaboration between Sunsail and the RYA, spotlighted the need for greater representation and leadership opportunities for women in sailing.

For the first time, Sunsail and the RYA brought an all-female crew to Cowes Week 2025.

“It’s a meaningful step,” said Katrina Lawson, Head of Brand and Acquisitions at Sunsail. “Bringing together an all-women crew, led by experienced female skippers, is a powerful reminder that sailing can be open, collaborative, and led by people who don’t always get seen at the helm.”

The crew hoped to centre the importance of not only representation, but also leadership for women in sailing.

According to Sunsail customer data, despite just over half of clients being women, just 7% of lead skippers are women.
“Women are sailing, training, and contributing at every level, but too few are stepping into leadership roles as skipper,” says Lawson.

The RYA reports that nearly a quarter of its Day Skipper certificates have been awarded to women since 2012. Richard Falk, RYA Director of Training, views this as a meaningful shift in the right direction, though he acknowledges that the road is still long.

“Achieving greater representation in sailing both on the water and in leadership isn’t something any single organisation can deliver alone,” he says. “It’s a challenge for the whole community, and one that starts with visibility of role models, of opportunities, and of the many ways people can get involved.”

He cites creating clearer pathways into jobs and training as a critical part of addressing this issue.

Many of the Cowes Week 2025 all-female crew work in the sailing industry, while others are casual sailors. Members ranged from first-time racers to experienced RYA Yachtmasters.

The Sunsail/RYA collaboration crew placed third in the Prometheus 41s class, but Katrina Lawson says the results are secondary.

“This wasn’t about winning – it was about teamwork, confidence, adventure and connection,” she says. “We know real change takes time. But giving visibility to women’s stories and leadership in sailing is something we can all start doing now.”

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The post Sunsail and RYA bring all-female crew to Cowes Week appeared first on Yachting Monthly.